ARC 的 Elroy Cheo：“亚洲是 Web3 的强国，现在是我们赢得思想份额的时候了”

Elroy Cheo 是颇具影响力的 Web3 集体 ARC 的联合创始人兼架构师，其使命是重新定义数字社区的动态。

Elroy Cheo set out to redefine the dynamics of digital communities with ARC, a Web3 collective. Together with fellow entrepreneur Kiat Lim, son of billionaire businessman Peter Lim, they established ARC as a hub for collaboration within the global Asian diaspora. Members can use a Stellar NFT and a Soulbound Token called Fyrian to access the ARC app, exclusive events and merchandise. Cheo's vision is to build a meritocratic network rooted in shared goals and collective action.

Elroy Cheo 着手与 Web3 集体 ARC 一起重新定义数字社区的动态。他们与企业家亿万富翁 Peter Lim 的儿子 Kiat Lim 一起建立了 ARC，作为全球亚裔侨民之间的合作中心。会员可以使用 Stellar NFT 和名为 Fyrian 的 Soulbound 代币来访问 ARC 应用程序、独家活动和商品。 Cheo 的愿景是建立一个植根于共同目标和集体行动的精英网络。

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Here, Cheo discusses his vision for ARC, how his background in property development and music has influenced his approach and why Asia is uniquely positioned to lead the next phase of NFT innovation. Cheo will be a speaker at Consensus Hong Kong in February.

在这里，Cheo 讨论了他对 ARC 的愿景、他在房地产开发和音乐方面的背景如何影响他的方法，以及为什么亚洲具有独特的优势来引领下一阶段的 NFT 创新。 Cheo 将于二月份在 Consensus Hong Kong 上发表演讲。

The following interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

为了清晰和简洁，以下采访内容已被编辑。

CoinDesk: How have your personal experiences shaped your approach to creating and building ARC?

CoinDesk：您的个人经历如何影响您创建和构建 ARC 的方法？

Elroy Cheo: My journey is a bit unconventional — I started in commodities and property development. Before crypto, my last big project was overseeing a mega-city development in China. When I first arrived, it was just barren land, farmers and fields. We bought the land, built the infrastructure and now it’s a bustling city with a high GDP. That experience stuck with me — seeing how you can bring people together to create something meaningful out of nothing.

Elroy Cheo：我的旅程有点非传统——我从商品和房地产开发开始。在加密货币之前，我的最后一个大项目是监督中国的一个大城市的开发。刚到的时候，这里只是荒地、农民和田地。我们买了土地，建设了基础设施，现在它是一个GDP很高的繁华城市。那次经历让我印象深刻——看到如何将人们聚集在一起，从无到有地创造出有意义的东西。

In 2016, I got into crypto thanks to my uncle — a 73-year-old software developer. We worked on a blockchain-based music copyright project to tackle siloed databases. Disputes over ownership are so common in the music industry and blockchain felt like the perfect solution to consolidate ownership records. Even today, that project’s still alive, and I’m proud it never relied on a token to survive.

2016 年，我在叔叔（一位 73 岁的软件开发人员）的帮助下进入了加密货币领域。我们致力于一个基于区块链的音乐版权项目来解决孤立的数据库问题。所有权纠纷在音乐行业非常普遍，而区块链似乎是巩固所有权记录的完美解决方案。即使在今天，该项目仍然存在，我很自豪它从未依赖代币生存。

That foundation as a builder shaped how I view crypto — it’s not just about investing or speculation; it’s about creating value. That led to ARC, a Web3 collective inspired by Balaji Srinivasan’s network state theory. While Srinivasan talks about these communities becoming nation-states (something we’re not doing), we are focused on building a digital-first institution driven by alignment and collective action.

作为一名建设者，这个基础塑造了我对加密货币的看法——它不仅仅是投资或投机；它还涉及投资或投机。这是关于创造价值。这催生了 ARC，一个受 Balaji Srinivasan 网络状态理论启发的 Web3 集体。虽然斯里尼瓦桑谈论这些社区成为民族国家（我们没有这样做），但我们专注于建立一个由联盟和集体行动驱动的数字优先机构。

CoinDesk: The word “community” gets thrown around a lot in Web3, often losing its meaning. How does ARC create genuine connections and stay grounded in principles?

CoinDesk：“社区”这个词在 Web3 中被频繁使用，常常失去其意义。 ARC 如何建立真正的联系并坚持原则？

Elroy Cheo: Community isn’t just about numbers or floor prices; it's about relationships. Without bonds between members, you’re building an audience, not a community. We realized that members value four things. First, access to professional networks, which means curated connections with builders and investors. Second, opportunities to make money, such as token allocations to investments. Third, lifestyle experiences, such as meeting someone like soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, or engaging in exclusive brand partnerships. Finally, growth, whether it’s through finding a job or receiving personal mentorship.

Elroy Cheo：社区不仅仅是数量或底价；还有社区。这是关于人际关系的。如果成员之间没有联系，您所建立的是受众，而不是社区。我们意识到会员重视四件事。首先，获得专业网络，这意味着与建筑商和投资者建立有组织的联系。其次，赚钱的机会，例如投资的代币分配。第三，生活方式体验，例如结识足球明星克里斯蒂亚诺·罗纳尔多（Cristiano Ronaldo）等人，或参与独家品牌合作伙伴关系。最后，成长，无论是通过找工作还是接受个人指导。

We also promote a “give value to receive value” ethos. This idea is drawn from the concept in Chinese culture of guanxi and emphasizes mutual support. Members aren’t just here to “ask for alpha.” They support one another.

我们还提倡“给予价值以获得价值”的精神。这一理念源自中国文化中的“关系”概念，强调相互支持。成员来这里不仅仅是为了“寻求阿尔法”。他们互相支持。

CoinDesk: What sets Asian Web3 communities apart from their Western counterparts?

CoinDesk：亚洲 Web3 社区与西方同行有何不同？

Elroy Cheo: One big difference is how vocal Western communities are. They dominate crypto Twitter, while Asians tend to be more reserved. Culturally, platforms like Twitter aren’t as widely used here — Chinese users, for instance, are more active in private WeChat or Telegram groups.

Elroy Cheo：一大区别是西方社区的声音如何。他们在加密推特上占据主导地位，而亚洲人则往往更加保守。从文化角度来看，Twitter 等平台在这里的使用并不广泛——例如，中国用户在私人微信或 Telegram 群组中更为活跃。

Despite that, Asian liquidity is massive. A small Chinese community can drive $1 billion in DeFi protocol TVL in a day, which is rare in the West. At ARC, we recognize this strength but also encourage members to engage more publicly. Asia is a Web3 powerhouse, and it’s time we capture mindshare, not just liquidity.

尽管如此，亚洲的流动性仍然巨大。一个小型的中国社区一天之内就能带动 DeFi 协议 TVL 10 亿美元，这在西方很少见。在 ARC，我们认识到这一优势，但也鼓励成员更公开地参与。亚洲是 Web3 的强国，现在是我们赢得思想份额而不仅仅是流动性的时候了。

CoinDesk: How do you see NFTs evolving, especially with respect to digital identity and utility?

CoinDesk：您如何看待 NFT 的发展，特别是在数字身份和实用性方面？

Elroy Cheo: The shift toward pseudonymity excites me. People are moving from polished profiles on Facebook or LinkedIn to avatars. It’s empowering — kids can hide behind a PFP, yet their skills and knowledge shine through. At ARC, we’re exploring NFTs as status symbols. Imagine walking into a hotel or event, and your NFT gives you instant recognition. Beyond collectibles, NFTs can represent expertise or achievements, like badges on Stack Overflow. It’s about creating digital identities with real-world impact.

Elroy Cheo：向假名的转变让我很兴奋。人们正在从 Facebook 或 LinkedIn 上精美的个人资料转向化身。这是一种赋权——孩子们可以躲在 PFP 后面，但他们的技能和知识却会闪闪发光。在 ARC，我们正在探索将 NFT 作为身份象征。想象一下，走进一家酒店或某个活动场所，您的 NFT 就会立即被您认出。除了收藏品之外，NFT 还可以代表专业知识或成就，例如 Stack Overflow 上的徽章。这是关于创建具有现实世界影响的数字身份。

CoinDesk: With ARC’s membership capped at 888, how can the organization’s exclusivity and status-driven model continue to scale?

CoinDesk：ARC 的会员人数上限为 888 名，该组织的排他性和地位驱动模式如何继续扩大规模？

Elroy Cheo: Exclusivity works when it’s tied to brand value and proper community management. We’

Elroy Cheo：当排他性与品牌价值和适当的社区管理联系在一起时，它就会发挥作用。我们'